So I am up drinking a cup of coffee reveling in a finished object. Reading some threads and asked myself. What's the craziest thing I have used to complete an object? It made me smile. If people only knew or understood the affair with the thread and needle :heart: One of my craziest knitting stories. I was getting ready to greet a client (I am a hair dresser) And I could not find a stitch holder, so I grabbed a perm rod from my drawer to keep my work together. Another funny story was I needed to bind off an afghan and couldn't find my second needle. (Was on a trip) I had my husband pull in to a chinese restraunt and paid $3.00 for acrylic chopsticks. I still have them in my knit bag.

:teehee: Any funny stories I would love to hear and know I am not crazy. :aww:

AngelaR

12-06-2009, 01:34 PM

I've used my kneadable eraser as stopper for the end of a needle more than once.

I think there is not a mother among us who has not used a diaper pin for a stitch holder... or chopsticks for a cable needle.

We're a resourceful lot :grphug:

Jan in CA

12-06-2009, 01:39 PM

I've used a wooden cuticle pusher and bamboo skewers for cable needles. :teehee:

Mirl56

12-06-2009, 02:44 PM

I've used the pastic part of a Bic pen (pulled out the ink tube) as a cable needle when knitting w/larger needles.

And a toothpick as a cable needle on my socks, size 1 needles.

katieanne55

12-06-2009, 03:46 PM

I've used a pen at work to show a coworker how to cable because I didn't have a 3rd needle. My husband, though, has used something much more unusual...One day when he was working at a construction site he used a couple nails and some nylon twine found on the job to knit a keychain on his lunch break!

-Katie

meowmeowmeow

12-06-2009, 09:19 PM

The first time I ever cabled,I basically saw it on the internet and really wanted to try it but didn't have any cable needles.I didn't even have a full set of needles because all I had made till then was a scarf and some two needle arm warmers. I grabbed a copper coat hanger I was going to throw away and took wire cutters to it.I had to sand the ends because I didn't have a torch or at the time :/

luvmykid28

12-07-2009, 01:37 PM

I knit in my car a lot while I am waiting to pick up my daughter. I have on serveral occasions had to dig around the car to find something that will work for a problem. The 2 issues that I can remember are:
1) I needed a stitch marker and found a .25 ring from a toy machine on the back floor board. (Now I keep it in my car for more ememrgencies.)
2) I needed to move my life line and didn't have a tapestry needle. After digging around I found and old saftey pin. I tied the life line on and slipped it through my knitting. (I was using size 11 needles so I had plenty of room.)

It's amazing what can be found in a car that has a child riding in it.

Lisa R.

12-07-2009, 09:02 PM

I've cannibalized a ballpoint pen as well...used the ink tube part for a cable needle, and the little metal washer or whatever they're called as a stitch marker. I pulled dental floss out of my purse for a lifeline (I think lots of people use that, though). I know I've dug around in the car for stuff, but can't recall what I've come up with...paper clips and all sorts of things for cable needles.

XxavoOo

12-08-2009, 12:09 AM

I actually learned how to knit with "chuzo" sticks (I don't know how to call them in English. A "chuzo" is basically a stick with meat/chicken/pork/etc. The sticks are wooden, pointy and thin). I had a bag full of these sticks in my house, and since I was desperate in learning how to knit, I used them as my needles.

Also, when I have no crochet hook to pick up those nasty 4-row-dropped stitches, I use my friends' hair pins.

Jan in CA

12-08-2009, 12:14 AM

I actually learned how to knit with "chuzo" sticks (I don't know how to call them in English. A "chuzo" is basically a stick with meat/chicken/pork/etc. The sticks are wooden, pointy and thin). I had a bag full of these sticks in my house, and since I was desperate in learning how to knit, I used them as my needles.

I think maybe you mean skewers as they are called here. I've used those, too.

melmac51

12-10-2009, 05:05 PM

I've used a pen at work to show a coworker how to cable because I didn't have a 3rd needle. My husband, though, has used something much more unusual...One day when he was working at a construction site he used a couple nails and some nylon twine found on the job to knit a keychain on his lunch break!

-Katie

I think he wins!! :thumbsup:

blueygh2

12-10-2009, 06:23 PM

I've used pencils to knit a few times, but they are unhandy and not as slippy as one might think.

As well, on my first ever project, I ran out of yarn on the bind off line, so I used some of the thing you use on packages. That rough thing, I don't know what it is called. Worked well enough.

UruzPhoenix

12-10-2009, 06:42 PM

stitch holders:

zip ties used for computer and electronics cables. My dh keeps a big bunch of them around and i was working on a sweater but didn't ahve stitch holders on hand.

zip ties work well, but snag the crap outta the yarn.

RuthieinMaryland

12-11-2009, 02:50 PM

Hi! :waving:

I was doing a pattern that called for a section of 1x1 cabling, meaning that you slipped one stitch frontwise, knitted the next, slipped the next to the back, knitted the next, etc. What a pain in the hindparts!

I could have just left the stitch hanging since it was only 1, but it didn't feel very secure. So I took a miniature bull-dog clip (readily available in office supply stores) and just nipped the stitch from the left needle and placed it front or back then put it back onto the left needle. All it took was a squeeze of the prongs to open and close the clip, which measures about 1/2". And you can use those little clips for lots of other stuff, too, even to clip onto more stitches for cabling than the one stitch I was working with.

Hope you :hug: all find this useful!

Happy Knitting,
Ruthie

DorothyDot

12-13-2009, 10:26 PM

I love knitting scrubbies with... fishing line. Works great!
Dot

Crycket

12-14-2009, 12:12 AM

I was on a street car once when I had to take a sock back a bit...so I pulled out some dental floss I had in my bag for a life line...

Of course I have on several occasions used paper clips as stitch markers...(haven't we all)

offgridgirl

12-14-2009, 12:28 AM

I now have a list of things to keep with me!! Great ideas gals!!
keep em coming!!:grphug:

meowmeowmeow

12-14-2009, 06:25 PM

I was on a street car once when I had to take a sock back a bit...so I pulled out some dental floss I had in my bag for a life line...

Of course I have on several occasions used paper clips as stitch markers...(haven't we all)

Did your sock come out minty fresh?

nooniewaters

12-16-2009, 02:04 AM

I was on a street car once when I had to take a sock back a bit...so I pulled out some dental floss I had in my bag for a life line...

Of course I have on several occasions used paper clips as stitch markers...(haven't we all)
When you said street car I didn't even bother to check wher you're from...I love Toronto!
I knitted with my makeup brushes. Who ever said pencils were no good is absolutely correct, what a waste! I know this is off Topic but does anyone else rarely follow through with a pattern and just do what you feel like creating? This happens to me 95% of the time, or maybe its just the ADHD in me.

nooniewaters

12-16-2009, 02:11 AM

haha!

OffJumpsJack

12-16-2009, 11:57 AM

My husband, though, has used something much more unusual...One day when he was working at a construction site he used a couple nails and some nylon twine found on the job to knit a keychain on his lunch break!

-Katie

I think he wins!! :thumbsup:

How about testing a stitch pattern at work using ballpoint pens to knit the cord from my telephone headset.
53847
Bic pens make poor DPNs but I managed a 4 st icord. :)